Tom Hardy is a lost, vengeful and violent man in a new clip from the actor’s upcoming series on FX, Taboo.
The series, on which Ridley Scott is executive producer, follows James Keziah Delaney (Hardy) as he returns to London in 1814 to seek revenge for his father’s mysterious death. Although FX hasn’t released too many details about the series, recent trailers have explained that Delaney returns to London as a changed, unrecognizable man after spending years in Africa.
This clip showcases just how much he’s changed. In it, he’s talking to a woman who runs a brothel about tracking down a group of men. It’s the longest look we’ve gotten of Hardy in the role yet, but it should feel familiar to those who have seen films like Locke or Mad Max: Fury Road. Hardy is calm but terrifying as he turns into a monster, threatening the woman if he doesn’t get his way.
Taboo is one of Polygon’s most anticipated new shows of 2017, and this clip gives a pretty good indication as to why that is. Hardy has proven that he’s more than capable of handling a role like this, and with Scott on board as an executive producer, it seems like a pretty good bet. Hardy created the series alongside his father, Chips Hardy, with long-time collaborator Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders) on board as showrunner.
Taboo also stars Jonathan Pryce (Game of Thrones), Oona Chaplin (Game of Thrones) and Michael Kelly (House of Cards). It will premiere on Jan. 10 at 10 p.m. ET on FX, three days after it premieres on the BBC. A trailer for the series can be seen below.